Radio broadcast stations are typically manned by human operators who control a plurality of audio system devices for playing music selections and prerecorded commercials and announcements. The various music selections and prerecorded materials have known durations or runtimes which can be used to compile a scheduled playlist. One of the tasks of the human operator is to start and stop the various selections so that the predetermined schedule is maintained. Another task of the operator is to monitor the operation of the audio playback devices and take appropriate action if one of the devices fails to properly cue or play a given selection.
There are a number of applications where it would be desirable to have an automated broadcast system capable of playing music and other prerecorded materials over extended periods of time without human assistance. Such a system must perform the same tasks that were described above; it must start and stop the various selections in a timely manner to maintain a predetermined schedule, and it must operate reliably, monitoring the operation of the audio playback devices and taking appropriate action if a device fails to cue or play a given selection.
The prior art has heretofore lacked an automated broadcast system capable of operating reliably over long periods of time without human assistance. The automated digital broadcast system of the present invention, described in greater detail below, provides a system which meets this need.